Institute Director for DTU Bioengineering

Do you want to lead one of Europe’s strongest research environments in biotechnology and biomedicine?

DTU Bioengineering is an internationally recognized institute with strong research environments, substantial external funding and close collaborations with universities, hospitals, authorities and the life science industry. We are looking for a visionary and unifying institute director who can further develop the institute’s international position and create a common direction for research, education, innovation and societal value.

Research and innovation for future health and the bioeconomy

DTU Bioengineering is DTU’s institute for biotechnology and biomedicine. The institute develops new knowledge and technological solutions that contribute to the development of future health care, personalized medicine, sustainable production and the bio-based economy. The research ranges from microbiology, molecular biology and synthetic biology to bioprocesses, drug development and advanced bio-analytical technologies. The institute comprises five research sections and four centers and is home to a number of advanced research platforms that support research of international top quality.

DTU Bioengineering also plays a central role in DTU’s education and contributes to educating the engineers and researchers of the future at bachelor, diploma, master and PhD levels. The institute is characterized by a close interaction between research, education and innovation and collaborates broadly with national and international partners.

A strategic leadership role with impact

As institute director you will be the cohesive leadership focal point for DTU Bioengineering. The institute rests on a strong foundation of research excellence, innovation, international collaborations and a close interaction with the life science industry. A central task will be to further develop and consolidate these strengths with a focus on quality, coherence and sustainable development across the institute’s disciplinary environments.

As an empathetic top leader with a eye for diversity and inclusion, you will need to unite staff and leaders around DTU’s new shared strategic direction. Together you will continue to support the institute’s development and strengthen DTU Bioengineering’s position as an international frontrunner in biotechnology and biomedicine.

In addition to setting an ambitious strategic direction for the institute’s research, education and innovation, and further developing the institute’s international position and academic strengths, you will have particular responsibility to:

• Create strong collaborations across DTU and with national and international universities, hospitals, companies and authorities
• Ensure attractive frameworks for securing external research funding
• Recruit and develop research and leadership talent at all levels
• Strengthen the quality and strategic importance of education
• Ensure close interaction between research, teaching and administration so the institute’s core tasks are supported effectively and professionally
• Support a diverse, inclusive and international working environment characterized by high professionalism, well-being and collaboration
• Actively participate in DTU’s directorate and contribute to the university’s overall strategic development

An important part of the task will be to create the best conditions for cross-cutting collaboration and knowledge sharing across the institute’s research areas while supporting the culture of engagement, collaboration, credibility, openness and transparency as well as mutual respect and recognition on which the institute is built.

Your profile – visionary research leader with strong leadership

We are seeking a leader who understands the university’s overall mission and sees excellent research, innovation and education as mutually reinforcing activities.

You are an internationally recognized researcher in one or more of the institute’s disciplinary areas with solid experience from a research or university environment, where you have experience in building and developing a research group or environment. You have proven experience with strategic leadership, attracting external research funding and the ability to create followers among highly specialized research environments.

You are a visible and trustworthy leader who creates engagement around common goals and can translate visions into concrete priorities and results.

We particularly value that you have

• Solid leadership experience from an academic environment and an understanding of the particular conditions that characterize leadership in a university context
• In-depth knowledge of the national and international research landscape
• Experience with strategic development and prioritization in complex organizations
• A strong national and international network
• The ability to create followers, cohesion and shared ambitions
• Experience with or close collaboration with the life science industry would be an advantage
• Strong communicative competencies and the ability to communicate clearly in English as well as Danish or another Scandinavian language

As a person you balance strategic perspective with presence and engagement. You lead through trust, involvement and clear direction and have an eye for both people, culture and results.

What DTU offers you

As institute director for DTU Bioengineering you will take on a central and strategic leadership role at one of Europe’s leading technical universities. You will become part of a strong professional and managerial community and join DTU’s directorate, where you actively contribute to the university’s overall strategic development.

DTU works purposefully to develop and strengthen leadership at all levels. Our leadership framework is built on four cornerstones: professional leadership, resource leadership, result-oriented personnel leadership and strategic leadership. As institute director you are expected to bring your personal leadership into play and create results through collaboration, involvement and clear direction. You can read more about DTU’s leadership role and leadership framework on our website .

Salary and terms of employment

Appointments are made on a fixed-term basis and on conditions corresponding to the Circular on institute directors and deans at universities as well as the AC agreement.

The position is a full-time post with primary workplace at the DTU Lyngby Campus.

Application and contact

We must receive your online application no later than 30 October 2026. Open the link "Apply now", where you fill in the application form and attach a motivated application, CV and transcripts.

If you want more information about the position, you are welcome to contact the rector Anders O. Bjarklev at 4525 1000.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All qualified applicants regardless of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic origin are encouraged to apply. Since DTU works with research in critical technology, there are special rules for, among other things, security and export control, so open source background checks may be performed on qualified candidates for the position.

Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (DTU Bioengineering) is internationally leading in biotechnology and biomedicine. Our engineering approach to all aspects of biotechnology and biomedicine makes us a valuable actor with unique competencies in a growing bio-based economy and in a health care system that is moving toward personalized medicine.

We have a clear focus on the needs of the life science and biotechnology industries and contribute to innovation, new companies and scientific services for the benefit of society. The institute has extensive collaborations with national and international research institutions as well as industry. DTU Bioengineering has about 400 employees, two-thirds of whom are scientific staff.

DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829

DTU is one of Europe’s leading technical elite universities. With research and education at international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and contribute to securing Europe’s global lead in sustainable technology development. Since H.C. Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has been the same: We develop and exploit natural science and technical science for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students and 6,500 staff.

We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, developmental and informal work culture. DTU has campuses across Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities in the world.